Angel

After Angel saves Buffy from a gang of vampire warriors, their relationship starts to become more intense. As their love blooms, Buffy learns that Angel has been hiding a dark secret. She hesitates, not sure what to believe, but when Angel's secret puts someone she loves in danger, she knows what she has to do.

Quotes (32)

Giles: It seems you encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong.
Willow: How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on.
Giles: Well, you weren't here from midnight until six researching it?
Willow: No, I was sleeping.

Darla: (to Angel) Is there anything better than a natural disaster? The panic. The people lost in the streets. It's like picking fruit off the vine. Nice! You're living above ground, like one of them. You and your new friend are attacking us, like one of them. But guess what, precious? You're not one of them, are you?

Joyce: Are you another doctor?
Buffy: Oh! No, Mom, this is Mr. Giles.
Joyce: Oh, the librarian from your school! What's he doing here?
Giles: Uh, I just came to pay my respects, wish you a speedy recovery.
Joyce: Boy, the teachers really do care in this town.

Darla: Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?
Buffy: Bad hair on top of that outfit?
Darla: To love someone who used to love you.
Buffy: (to Angel) You, guys, were involved?
Darla: For several generations.
Buffy: Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few exs. You're older than him, right? Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes.

Willow: (About Angel) He's not around much, it's true.
Buffy: But when he is around, it's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it's like that with some guys?

Notes (16)

Darla was originally supposed to die in "The Harvest", when Willow throws holy water on her, but as the writers were planning to do an episode about Angel, they decided she would be his ex-lover.

The episode was aired in April 14, 1997, right on Sarah's 20th birthday.

While filming this episode, David Boreanaz stated in an interview that he casually walked into a local store to buy some milk with his shoulder wound make-up still on. He said that the guy at the check-out freaked and asked if he needed help. In true David fashion he joked with the clerk and told him that he was attacked by a cat in the alley at the back of the store.

During an interview, Julie Benz remembered it was hard to get through her big death scene in this episode because she and David Boreanaz kept getting the giggles. After being staked, she and was to dramatically fall to the floor where there was a mattress waiting to catch the actress. Julie inadvertently missed it several times and would hit the floor instead. With each take the two would burst out laughing, making it quite impossible to get through the scene.

According to an interview, Julie Benz stated that she did some of her stunts herself. In this episode, Julie leaps from the floor to the pool table in one take, without rehearsal. Upon doing so, she was very nervous and was clenching her teeth so hard that she broke the vampire fangs she was wearing.

Trivia (12)

Goof: Near the end when Buffy enters The Bronze it is closed. As she gets to the bottom of the steps the shot changes, as it changes, a person is visible hiding behind the pool table. The person's foot pops out at on the right.

Buffy and Angel share their first kiss in this episode.

In this episode we learn that Angel is a vampire. While unexpected, a number of clues in previous episodes have hinted at this fact. Including: "Welcome to the Hellmouth" - When Buffy first meets him Angel says: "Don't worry. I don't bite." "Never Kill a Boy On The First Date"- While in the Bronze, Buffy mutters, "Bite me". The camera then cuts to Angel giving Buffy an odd look.

Nitpick: When Angel hears Joyce scream, it's actually the sound of Buffy's scream taken from earlier in the episode, sneakily reused.

Nitpick: When Giles explains to Willow why he knows so much about "The Three" he says that he's been researching them from midnight until six. He couldn't possibly know about "The Three" being sent to attack Buffy. We see her and Angel go straight to her house, and after that there are no time gaps between then and when she goes to bed during which she could have possibly called Giles to tell him about "The Three".

Allusions (6)

The Master: (talking to the Anointed One) With great power comes responsibility.
This may be a reference to the line from Peter Parker's uncle Ben in the comic book Spider-Man. He tells Peter that "with great power comes great responsibility." That sentiment is what later inspires Peter to become Spider-Man.

Buffy: I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck.
This is a reference to the Robin Hood legend. In most versions of the story, when the "Merry Men" first meet Friar Tuck they intend to rob him and he fights them all off with his quarterstaff. This show of skill and bravery endears him to the band, and they make him a member.

Joyce: I've been wrestling with the I.R.S. all night.
I.R.S. is the acronym for the Internal Revenue Service, a government agency which collects federal income taxes in the United States. The "wrestling" most likely refers to the fact that the I.R.S. tax forms are notoriously complicated.

Angel: What's with the Catholic schoolgirl look? The outfit that Darla is wearing - plaid skirt, white shirt, knee socks, etc. - is the standard uniform for girls at most Catholic schools.